A biased look at psychology in the world

June 13, 2013

Housing the Homeless

A study recently published in the Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal assessed the impact of an Arizona housing
initiative, Project H3, which used housing first, harm reduction, and
peer support models to provide housing for 47 homeless people who were
medically vulnerable. Comparisons of interviews with
participants who were housed at the day of their move-in, and 6-months
and 12-months after their move-in, were conducted. Results showed that ninety-eight
percent of the participants remained in housing after 12 months.
Individuals who were housed reported significant increases in their
access to and utilization of planned health care services and quality of
life, and reductions in their involvement in the criminal justice
system. The authors concluded that housing first, harm
reduction, and peer support models demonstrate effectiveness in
decreasing substance use and improving the quality of life of people who
are homeless over time.